Erin Davies will drive her “Fagbug” to Ferris State University on Friday, Oct. 5 to
share how she turned her victimization into a campaign against hate crimes.

“This event is being put on to raise awareness of homophobia and to educate people
about hate crimes,” said Kendree Berg, president of the Diverse Sexuality and Gender
Alliance (D-SAGA), a Registered Student Organization sponsoring Davies’ visit along
with the university’s Diversity and Inclusion Office.

Davies was an art education graduate student in Albany, N.Y. in 2007 when her VW Beetle
was vandalized with homophobic slurs. Rather than repair the damage, Davies embarked
on a 58-day, 55,000-mile journey across the United States, sharing her story and recording
the reactions – positive and negative – of more than 500 people along the way. She
turned the footage into “Fagbug,” an award-winning documentary that premiered in 2009
at film festivals across the country.

Davies spends about six months of the year on the road in support of her mission “to
raise awareness about hate crimes and homophobia, to give a voice for those who are
silent, to inspire others to take a stand against bullies and to be an example of
how to overcome obstacles in bringing creative projects to life.”

“Erin will show us how she turned being the victim of a hate crime into a positive
way of educating people,” Berg said.

The Fagbug, devoid of graffiti and now painted in rainbow stripes, will be parked
in the North Quad from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. A free event from 5 to 8 p.m. in Interdisciplinary
Resource Center Room 121 will include a viewing of the “Fagbug” documentary followed
by a question-and-answer session with Davies. Pizza and pop will be provided between
5 and 6 p.m.

For more information about Davies and to watch a trailer for “Fagbug,” visit: http://fagbug.com/